Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Social Proof00:52

Social Proof

30.2K
Social proof is a form of persuasion based on comparison and conformity. People compare their behavior and actions to what others are doing and will change to conform to do what their peers do.
30.2K
Conformity01:20

Conformity

46.5K
Conformity is the change in a person’s behavior to go along with the group, even if that person does not agree with the group.
46.5K
Defining Social Psychology01:09

Defining Social Psychology

190
Social psychology investigates how the presence and actions of others influence individual behavior, cognition, and emotion. Examining the social environment's impact provides a scientific framework for understanding how individuals perceive others and are, in turn, influenced by them. This field seeks to uncover the underlying principles guiding social interactions, exploring phenomena such as conformity, obedience, and prosocial behavior.Core Themes in Social PsychologyOne central focus of...
190
Impact of Social Context on Individuals01:21

Impact of Social Context on Individuals

135
Social psychology examines how the real or imagined presence of others influences individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. A key concept in this field is the role of social context in shaping behavior. The same individual may act differently depending on the social setting, due to the varying expectations and norms associated with each environment. This context-dependent behavior illustrates the influence of social roles, which prescribe appropriate conduct in specific situations.Social...
135
Impact of Individuals on Individuals01:30

Impact of Individuals on Individuals

172
Human behavior is intricately shaped by social influences that arise from interactions with others in diverse contexts. These influences not only mold beliefs and attitudes but also drive the regulation of behaviors through both direct communication and observational learning. The study of these processes falls within the domain of social psychology, which seeks to understand how individuals are affected by and affect those around them.Mechanisms of Social InfluenceDirect social influence...
172
Randomized Experiments01:13

Randomized Experiments

8.5K
The randomization process involves assigning study participants randomly to experimental or control groups based on their probability of being equally assigned. Randomization is meant to eliminate selection bias and balance known and unknown confounding factors so that the control group is similar to the treatment group as much as possible. A computer program and a random number generator can be used to assign participants to groups in a way that minimizes bias.
Simple randomization
Simple...
8.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The racial and ethnic gap in behavioral measures rivals the gender gap in the United States.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Higher socioeconomic status does not predict decreased prosocial behavior in a field experiment.

Nature communications·2021
Same author

Surveillance cues do not enhance altruistic behavior among anonymous strangers in the field.

PloS one·2018
Same journal

Chemotactic self-organization captures the dynamics of mammalian hair follicle patterning.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Tomographic imaging of superconducting order using particle-hole interference.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Inhibitory potential of autologous neutralizing antibodies sets quantitative limits on the rebound-competent HIV-1 reservoir.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Inferring epidemiological parameters under an infectious phylogeography model with visitor dynamics.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Analytical modeling for suction cup designs for skin-interfaced wearable devices.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Improving cell-free metabolism through direct integration of artificial respiratory chains.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 9, 2025

A System for Tracking the Dynamics of Social Preference Behavior in Small Rodents
08:38

A System for Tracking the Dynamics of Social Preference Behavior in Small Rodents

Published on: November 21, 2019

7.9K

Predicting social tipping and norm change in controlled experiments.

James Andreoni1, Nikos Nikiforakis2,3, Simon Siegenthaler4

  • 1Department of Economics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|April 16, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Predicting social norm change is now possible with a threshold model, accurately forecasting norm abandonment 96% of the time. Interventions fostering understanding of change benefits are key to abandoning detrimental norms.

Keywords:
conformity traplaboratory experimentsocial normsthreshold modelstipping points

More Related Videos

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
11:51

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making

Published on: March 2, 2011

15.4K
The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
11:13

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test

Published on: November 19, 2015

14.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 9, 2025

A System for Tracking the Dynamics of Social Preference Behavior in Small Rodents
08:38

A System for Tracking the Dynamics of Social Preference Behavior in Small Rodents

Published on: November 21, 2019

7.9K
Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
11:51

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making

Published on: March 2, 2011

15.4K
The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
11:13

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test

Published on: November 19, 2015

14.0K

Area of Science:

  • Social Sciences
  • Behavioral Economics
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Social norms significantly impact societal welfare, particularly when detrimental.
  • Predicting the transition from one social norm to another is crucial but challenging due to limited experimental data.
  • Existing theories suggest social pressure creates tipping thresholds for norm change.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the predictive accuracy of a threshold model for social tipping and norm change.
  • To investigate factors influencing the persistence and abandonment of detrimental social norms.
  • To identify effective interventions for promoting beneficial norm transitions.

Main Methods:

  • A large-scale laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate a threshold model for social norm change.
  • Participants navigated gradual shifts in societal preferences, balancing deviation benefits against conformity costs.
  • The study analyzed individual decision-making regarding norm adherence and change.

Main Results:

  • The threshold model accurately predicted societal success or failure in abandoning detrimental norms in 96% of cases.
  • Detrimental norms persisted even when individuals set their own nonconformity costs, often setting them too high.
  • Interventions promoting a shared understanding of change benefits facilitated norm abandonment in most societies.

Conclusions:

  • Threshold models are valuable for understanding and predicting social tipping across diverse settings.
  • Individual risk tolerance and lower conformity preference are associated with being an instigator of change.
  • Facilitating common understanding is an effective strategy for policy interventions aimed at welfare improvement through norm change.